Corn and Soybean Ratings Decline

Corn and soybean conditions declined last week as dry weather across the Midwest led to some moisture stress on crops, but U.S. crop ratings remained above a year earlier.

Crop development remained clearly behind normal after the slow start to the growing season. A lack of moisture slowed development in some areas.

U.S. corn conditions were rated 64% good/excellent as of Sunday, down from 67% a week earlier, but up from 59% a year earlier, according the USDA’s weekly crop update.

U.S. soybean conditions were rated 61% good/excellent, down from 62% a week earlier, but up from last year’s reading of 54%.

USDA reported that 68% of the U.S. corn crop was in the dough stage, down from a five-year average of 82%, while only 26% of the crop had started denting against an average of 47%.

Some 88% of the U.S. soybean crop was said to be setting pods compared with a five-year average of 94%.

Moisture stress on crops was most noticeable in the eastern Midwest with the good/excellent ratings for Ohio’s corn crop down 9 percentage points and the rating for Indiana’s falling by 6 points.

The good/excellent rating for Ohio’s soybean crop fell 7 percentage points, while the rating for Indiana soybeans was down 4 points from a week earlier.

In the top corn- and soybean-producing state of Iowa, corn conditions were rated 65% good/excellent, down from 69% a week earlier and 70% a year earlier.

Only 13% of the Iowa crop had reached the dent stage by Sunday, well behind the five-year average of 40%.

Iowa soybean conditions were rated 63% good/excellent, down from 65% a week earlier and 75% a year earlier.

An estimated 89% of the state’s soybean crop was setting pods against a five-year average of 98%.

Despite recent dryness, topsoil moisture remained adequate/surplus across 67% of Iowa, while subsoil moisture was adequate/surplus over 82% of the state.

In the No. 2 producing state of Illinois, corn conditions improved to 74% good/excellent from 72% a week earlier and 72% a year earlier. However, only 29% of Illinois corn was reported to be denting, versus a five-year average of 63%.

Illinois soybean conditions also improved to 68% good/excellent from 66% a week earlier and 63% a year earlier. Some 92% of Illinois soybeans were setting pods against an average of 95%.